Ibanez 884

This is some kind of bizarre EKO imitation guitar made by Hoshino in Japan in 1963 or thereabouts. Volume control for each set of two single coil pick-ups, and one tone control for both I guess. It also has what I think are taps; four switches that select which coils you want to use. I haven't quite figured it out, I think it might be broken. Configuration: S/S and S/S, and I have no idea what kind of bizzarro pick-ups these are. Solid neon-red finish; Jazzmaster-like body, but maybe smaller; Jazzmaster-like bridge; non-locking tuners; the fattest neck I've played; medium frets. Also tremolo thing, but not the kind that lowers the notes, it only bends it up.

It's great for my style. Sounds like broken banjo when played clean, but spectacular with a little compression and overdrive. Extremely punchy and intense jagged sharp tone from the pick-ups when all the switches are switched the same way. It makes a Fat Strat sound like a classical guitar, which can be desirable or undesirable, depending who are. I love it. Not as much richness of tone as a Tele or Jazzmaster, but the notes have a similar texture as the Jazzmaster. Well, it's so bright that you don't even care about tone. It just hits you and you feel rocked. Unfortunately, the guitar can only do loud gritty rocking, especially because I can't figure the switches. But that's all I want to do with it anyway. It's great for lead. I'd guess it has a lot of gain for an early '60's guitar.

Factory? My dad wasn't even born when this thing was built!
I bought this sucker so-used. Chips in the paint, covered with stickers and glue. The bridge shield this guitar is supposed to have is gone, and the tremelo arm is gone too, though I have made a strat tremelo arm fit. Chrome is still shining like it's 1958. The wood of the neck is high-ish quality, but the body wood seems cheap. I don't think I was supposed to see it though. Noisy pick-up selector and the switches get switched while i'm playing. Luckily, they don't work so it doesn't make too much diff. I bet it was something special when it was new, 42 years ago or whatever. Otherwise it seems fine. Sturdy, like you could use it for jousting.

Sturdy, like you could use it for jousting. I imagine this guitar has been played live thousands of times. It's 42 years old. One guy I showed it to called it a "baseball bat", and he had a quasi-psychotic look when he said it, so I said "Thanks, Dude. Later."

I think you'd need a back for this, but not realy. The paint is shite because it's just getting chipped away. I'm going to take the advice of some website and super glue the edges of the chipping after a cleansing with alcohol.

i have a couple other rare guitars that rock rediculously hard, and also a Fender Tele which is alright. I've had a lot of guitars that couldn't cut it, but this one is all personality. If it got stolen, I doubt I would be able to find another.

This is an awesome guitar, all things considered, including it's cheapness and it's rugged looks and insane spunk and crunchy tone.